Despite being heavily affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in November last year, Maritime College students of the Palompon Institute of Technology managed to graduate with only a two month delay.

Knowing that the college sustained casualties and heavy damage by the typhoon that affected both students and faculaty it is a real show if resilience that all returned to study and work within two months.

Palompon was in the path of the eye of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda and suffered the full brunt of the storm. Thanks to mandatory evacuations and the fact that the typhoon hit the town at low tide the total number of casualties remained below ten. The town was spared the flashflood that hit the Tacloban region. Fifty percent of the houses was damaged and also the school suffered badly. In the aftermath the schools buildings and dormitory provided shelter and food to the many displaced.

Thanks to a working local government and direct connections with the island of Cebu the situation in Palompon remained under control and improved steadily. Power was restored in December and students and faculaty were able to resume lessons from January 6. 

Repairs to the facility and town of Palompon are still ungoing and amidst the rubble a total one hundred ninety graduates managed to graduate. 

Avior selected a total of thirty graduates who will be invited to report to Manila in July to undergo induction and advanced safety training before boarding. The induction consists of a thorough medical, additional training, regimentation and briefings.

The thirty cadets will join the twenty cadets selected earlier this year in are expected to be on board ships of participating Avior Principals before the end of the year as a first step in their officer development program.

We wholeheartedly welcome all cadets to Avior and wish them well on their first steps to becoming an Officer.